Hi,
Many months back I posted about continuing problems I was having
immediately following fundoplication surgery (http://tinyurl.com/
2tm6oo). Basically, I got the surgery on May 21st, but still was
feeling burning -- albeit much less than before. My surgeon wanted to
wait to see if it resolved itself. When I posted, Howard suggested the
wrap had either slipped (a big hiatus hernia was also fixed), or that
the wrap was too loose. Finally, I got a Barium swallow test. It
showed I was still refluxing a little, but the surgeon didn't think it
was much. Then he did a endoscopy to see what was going on, and he
admitted that the wrap looked a little too loose (though it hadn't
slipped), and that I'd probably need another surgery in a few years.
From a pathology perspective, though, inflammation in my esophagus was
less than before surgery. But I was also back to where I was before:
on meds and sleeping at an angle. Without doing these things, I
experience heartburn and a hurting throat.
So then I went to the top surgeon in NY to discuss my options for a
revision. He wanted me to get an updated manometry and Bravo pH study.
Here's where it gets confusing and a little frustrating. A few days
ago I got a call from my GI, who told me that my Bravo test looked
good -- the numbers were good and nothing correlated to when I pressed
the "I got heartburn now" button. The manometry looked good, too
("Normal to low normal LES resting"). Considering these numbers, he
didn't think a surgeon would want to do another operation -- can't say
I disagree with him. Still, without meds, I get burning like
clockwork: about a half-hour after I eat, and in the morning when I
get up. The GI speculated that I might have a hypersensitive esophagus
that might be related to my IBS. He suggested to see if I can stop all
meds for six months and then do another scope to see if the
inflammation is bad again. I don't like this idea, but I might just
have to do it.
Howard or anybody -- what are your thoughts on this situation? I find
it all very confusing, and I'm not sure what my next step should be.
Thanks!
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